Replacements lift Delone Catholic baseball against Littlestown

Delone Catholic's Chase Kint didn't know that he'd be pitching prior to the Squires' game against Littlestown Tuesday. He didn't even know he would be needed on the mound until after the game actually started.

But following an injury suffered by Jimmy O'Boyle running the bases in the top of the first, Kint stepped in on the shortest of notice and led the Squires to a 4-2 victory over Littlestown in YAIAA baseball action at the Thunderbolts' Memorial Field.

O'Boyle led off the top of the first with a single and was advancing to third on a groundout when a hamstring injury caused him to leave the game. Enter Kint.

After warming up on the mound, Kint retired the Thunderbolts on just three pitches. The game remained scoreless into the third when O'Boyle's replacement in the batting order, Phil Goyette, stepped to the plate. Goyette jumped on a 1-0 offering from Littlestown hurler Chase DiPietro and doubled to deep left to plate Michael Rider with the game's first run. Austin Kuntz doubled home Goyette for a 2-0 Delone lead.

"Phil has been swinging the bat well in practice and in the J.V. games that he's played in," Delone head coach Doug Arnold said. "He's done a nice job when he's had the chance in varsity games, too, and he earned the opportunity to get out there."

Littlestown (9-3, 7-3 YAIAA III) tied the game in the fourth on a fielder's choice groundout by DiPietro that allowed Jacob Owings to come home and a throwing error that allowed Travis Henrie to tie the game. Kint worked out of the inning with a double play.

Delone (8-5, 7-2 YAIAA IV) loaded the bases in the top of the sixth with no outs. Hunter Keith followed with a two-run single and put the Squires in front, 4-2. DiPietro escaped without further damage when Littlestown left fielder Owings gunned down Keith trying to score from second on Evan Haymaker's single to end the inning.

Brady Topper and Owings started the bottom of the sixth with back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners with no outs for Henrie, but Owings was thrown out trying to steal second. It was the third runner that Roth threw out trying to steal. A pop out and fly out ended the threat for Littlestown.

"We didn't hit the ball well and their kid kept us off-balance," Littlestown head coach Todd Gantz said. "We had to try to find a way to give ourselves a chance to score, but their catcher made a nice throw there."

Kint started the bottom of the seventh by retiring the first two hitters on a pop out and fly out before Lane Nye singled with two outs. Then Kint recorded his only strikeout of the contest to end it.

Kint went the distance on 77 pitches, including 40 for strikes, and allowed one earned run on five hits with one strikeout and two walks.

"Coach told me to throw strikes and trust the defense behind me," Kint said. "I'm not going to strike out a lot of guys. I try to hit my spots. And being able to throw my curveball for strikes was big."

The loss was the third straight for Littlestown after the Bolts started the season winning their first nine games.

"It starts with our offense and we haven't been hitting," Gantz said of why his team has lost three straight. "We've seen some good pitchers, and credit to them, but we need to work on our approach at the plate."

Delone Catholic 4, Littlestown 2

Delone Catholic0020020—493Littlestown0002000—251

DC, Chase Kint and Austin Roth. Lit, Chase DiPietro and Travis Henrie.

SO-BB — Kint 1-2. DiPietro 5-2; W — Kint; L — DiPietro; 2B — DC, Phil Goyette, Austin Kuntz.